Athletic departments lag behind tree, all day, even in the off season.
the rest of the campus
DePauw grass height
Team and fan travel is a major con-
• 80 percent of respondents did not know
difference
tributor to GHG emissions. For example,
if their institution had signed the Amer-
Athletic director Page Cotton
over 37 million fans attended NCAA
ican College & University Presidents
(left) and Rob Harper, assistant
FBS football games in 2007, another 32
Climate Commitment
director of facilities management
million attended basketball games. On
• only 10 percent of FBS athletic depart-
(right), have saved DePauw thou-
average, NCAA universities support over
ments have developed a strategic sus-
sands of dollars by not mowing
17 intercollegiate sports per school. Do
tainability plan with short- and long-
game fi elds during the off-season.
the math.
term goals
And during the season, the uni-
“Th e source of funds to build and run
• less than 10 percent say that the universi-
versity mows only the actual play-
many athletic programs is private money,”
ty is currently measuring or planning to
ing surface to that sport’s specifi -
says Bill Browne of RATIO, an architec-
measure the athletic department’s green-
cation, leaving surrounding grassy
tural fi rm that specializes in athletic facili-
house gas (GHG) emissions
areas at a more natural height.
ties. As such, the athletic programs —par-
• while 80 percent of athletic departments ticularly big football programs—operate
have implemented “moderate” or “ex- at arm’s length from the academic depart-
tensive” recycling initiatives, less than ments and are only indirectly controlled
5 percent are measuring recycling rates impact of sporting events—particularly by the university administration. “Th ose
and setting goals for improving these the greenhouse gas emissions associated contributors are less in tune with the in-
rates across the entire athletic depart- with team and fan travel, and food and stitution’s sustainability goals,” explains
ment vendor supplies—is not being quantifi ed Browne. “Th ey would rather add a thou-
• energy effi ciency/conservation and re- or addressed. sand square feet to a workout room than
cycling are receiving the most emphasis Game fans don’t want to be lectured have a green roof.”
within athletic department environmen- about recycling their tailgate trash. Pow- Nonetheless, there are active indi-
tal initiatives. Natural/local food appears erful coaches want their recruits to see the vidual and collective eff orts underway to
to be receiving the least emphasis. fi eld in its game-time glory with the grass bring athletics into the fold. Th e NCAA
cut to exacting length, the fi eld paint fresh itself created the NCAA Green Team and
McSherry says that the environmental and the scoreboard lit up like a Christmas partnered with the Association for the
44 T
oday’s
C
ampus subscribe at no charge at
www.todayscampus.com
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